e-3172 Health
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
Thousands of Canadians are experiencing Long COVID, lengthy illnesses and symptoms of COVID-19 that persist for many months after initial infection;
Long COVID significantly impacts patients' physical and mental well-being, their employment, and their ability to care for themselves and their families;
These COVID long haulers are in urgent need of recognition, research and medical therapies, and income supports; and
Our current social safety net is allowing Long COVID patients to fall through the cracks.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Immediately extend Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits to 50 weeks;
2. Expand eligibility for the Canada Recovery Benefit to Canadians who are unable to seek employment who provide a medical certificate similar to the one required for EI sickness benefits;
3. Invest urgent funding into research on Long COVID through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, including its cause(s), manifestation, long-term consequences and potential therapies; and
4. Convene a cross-committee study of the nature and impacts of Long COVID, including the parliamentary committees on Health, Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Whereas:
Thousands of Canadians are experiencing Long COVID, lengthy illnesses and symptoms of COVID-19 that persist for many months after initial infection;
Long COVID significantly impacts patients' physical and mental well-being, their employment, and their ability to care for themselves and their families;
These COVID long haulers are in urgent need of recognition, research and medical therapies, and income supports; and
Our current social safety net is allowing Long COVID patients to fall through the cracks.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Immediately extend Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits to 50 weeks;
2. Expand eligibility for the Canada Recovery Benefit to Canadians who are unable to seek employment who provide a medical certificate similar to the one required for EI sickness benefits;
3. Invest urgent funding into research on Long COVID through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, including its cause(s), manifestation, long-term consequences and potential therapies; and
4. Convene a cross-committee study of the nature and impacts of Long COVID, including the parliamentary committees on Health, Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and Indigenous and Northern Affairs.